Shadowgirls

Infobox comic strip
title= Shadowgirls


caption=Logo of Shadowgirls comic
author= David A. Rodriguez (writer), David Reynolds (artist)
url= http://shadowgirlscomic.com/
rss=
atom=
status= Updates Monday, Wednesday and Friday
first= 2007-06-16
last=
syndicate=
publisher=
genre= Horror
rating=
preceded by=
followed by=

Shadowgirls is a web comic created by David A. Rodriguez and Dave Reynolds. It revolves around a single mother, Charon McKay, and her daughter Becka. Usually, the creators describe it as a cross between Gilmore Girls and H. P. Lovecraft's tales.

The series is divided into issues that run approximately once per month. As soon as the first page of a new issue is posted, it is available for downloading on Wowio via a link available on the comic's website. This eases the wait that is generated in between updates. Shadowgirls is updated regularly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

tory

Issue 01

The story starts with a scene of Charon, fifteen years ago, in a hospital, giving birth to her daughter, who grows up to be Rebecca "Becka" McKay. Her best friend then, Jackson Snow, is seen by Charon's bedside, but it is obvious that he feels betrayed that Charon didn't even tell him that she liked someone, continuing to muse that he had hoped that eventually they would get together. Charon's grandmother mistakenly believes that the baby is between Jackson and Charon, only for him to say that it is someone else's baby [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=174 |title=An Unpleasant Truth |accessdate = 2007-07-24 |publisher=Shadowgirls] .

Two years later, the scene opens with Jackson meeting Charon on a bench, with Charon preparing to enter college, with the help of her grandmother [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=173 |title=Two Years Later |accessdate = 2007-07-25 |publisher=Shadowgirls] . However, the conversation eventually spills over into a blame game, with Jackson accusing her of leaving him for the past two years, and a stream of accusations follow. Charon responds angrily by saying that he left her and acted like he hated her and wanted nothing to do with either her or her baby. This shocks Jackson into realizing that no matter what had happened, he should have stuck by Charon and tried to talk to her instead. This revelation sparks the beginning of a reconcilation, only to be interrupted by Jackson's girlfriend, Christmas "Chrissy" Banks (later to be Christmas Banks-Snow). Jackson stops Christmas before the damage worsens, but at this point, Becka comes up running, with Jackson's mother in tow. They bring the news that Charon's grandmother passed away from a sudden heart attack [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=169 |title=Lost Future |accessdate = 2007-07-31 |publisher=Shadowgirls] , and Charon is seen kneeling on the ground in shock. At the funeral, Charon once again pushes Jackson away, and tells him that she's not going to be the reason for him to miss a full life [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=167 |title=On My Own |accessdate = 2007-08-02 |publisher=Shadowgirls] . Charon leaves Jackson in the graveyard in the rain, in tears, with Becka in tow.

During the interlude, it shows three fishermen fishing quite happily when they attacked by two monsters from the sea (later known to be Progenitors), and are promptly killed [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=163 |title=Remains |accessdate = 2007-08-08 |publisher=Shadowgirls] .

Meanwhile, the story returns to the present, where we see Charon and Becka leading a somewhat normal, if not questionable life. Becka wakes up and greets her mother, and asks whether she could come to a sleepover at her friend Lindsey's. After asking Becka certain questions regarding Lindsey's parents, whether there would be boys, and whether Misty Snow, daughter of Jackson and Chrissy, would be there. She makes Becka promise that she comes back before lunch the next day and not to step a foot outside Lindsey's home.

Later on that night, Charon heads to a bar and meets the now adult-and-married Christmas Snow with her two friends. After trading taunts and insults, Chrissy proceeds to punch Charon, but is stopped, and is hit in the face by a knuckle-duster with the words "Bitch" engraved in reverse. This scares the trio off, and Charon returns to ordering a drink. Unknown to her, three Progenitors are outside, observing her [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=154 |title=The Shadowchild |accessdate = 2007-08-21 |publisher=Shadowgirls] .

Issue 02

Back at Lindsey's so-called sleepover, we see Becka sneaking out to a barn party with Lindsey. Becka voices doubts about sneaking out, only to be reassured by Lindsey that she wouldn't find out about it [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=143 |title=Sneaking Out |accessdate = 2007-09-03 |publisher=Shadowgirls] . Two more progenitors watch them from the barn in silence. Once inside, they are greeted by Mistletoe "Misty" Snow and her friends, and exchange conversation. She is then introduced to Chip, who seems to take an instant interest in her, and asks her for a dance. Meanwhile, Lindsey and Misty exchange conversation that hints that all is not what is seems to be.

The scene switches to where Charon is leaving the bar. As she tries to get into the car, she is attacked by a bat-wielding Chrissy, and falls to the ground. She pleads Chrissy to leave, who refuses. At this point, we can see Charon's eyes glowing blue, before three progenitors emerge out of the bushes and kills Chrissy's two sidekicks. Chrissy then attempts to defend herself by throwing her bat at them, only to have it shatter into splinters. A progenitor then pounces on Chrissy, preparing to kill her when Charon, now transformed into a black-skinned, humanoid being known as a Shadowchild, proceeds to kill the trio, and corners Chrissy against the car. In her terror, Chrissy screams. This then causes Charon to collapse and revert into her human form, covered completely in blood [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=132 |title=Screwed |accessdate = 2007-09-18 |publisher=Shadowgirls] .

Becka, on the other hand, is out in the cornfields with Chip, and states that this is a romantic setting. Chip then reaffirms that he thinks she's pretty - until they are joined by two people. Becka states she wants to leave, not wishing to stay, only to be trapped by Chip and the newcomers - and then they proceed to attempt to gang-rape her, ripping off her clothes and trapping her. On the other side of town, Charon has been framed for the murder of Chrissy's two friends and sits in the police station. She asks the police to call Lindsey's house and tell Becka she's okay, not knowing that Becka herself is in trouble.

When Becka tries to escape from her would-be rapists, she is trapped by Chip who steps on her. She promptly transforms into another Shadowchild and attacks her assailents, who are now terrified. She catches sight of Chip, and knees him down there after terrorizing him for a bit. When she receives a phonecall from the police informing her her mother had been arrested, she promptly returns to her human form - and is slashed by the Progenitors. She then lies in the corn fields, bleeding, and silhouettes of the monsters can be seen.

Issue 03

Issue 03 starts with a flashback of Lindsey's. In it, it shows her playing in a sandbox, building a sandcastle when Misty and her friends come over and promptly destroys it. They add insult to injury, saying that Lindsey has "weird eyes", and leaves Lindsey to cry alone. Becka then comes and comforts her, and states that she though Lindsey had pretty eyes. Eventually they become friends. In the present at the barn, Lindsey is with Misty and her friends. Misty reveals that she had plotted to get Becka raped by the three boys, and was ready to take pictures once Becka came back in to put up all over the Internet to shame and disgrace her. Lindsey is torn by conscience, and eventually, she leaves the barn under the cover of needing the bathroom into the cornfields to look for Becka, and is attacked by the fish monsters. She breaks the eye socket of one, and then spears a sickle into another. She unintentionally activates Becka's transformation by telling her that the monster will kill them both. This causes Becka to use her powers to impale another Progenitor who is about to attack them.

Becka proceeds to confront Lindsey about the entire incident, demanding how much did she sell her (Becka) for. Lindsey, now both guilty and terrified, admits that she was promised to be given a position on the pep squad and that she would be popular. Lindsey had hoped to use this position to make Becka's life easier, but she did not know what they (Misty and Co.) would do to her. Becka at this juncture returns to her human form, and the two friends hug. Becka remembers that her mother is now in jail, and attempts to leave the area, only to meet with another person. Lindsey pushes him away, and triggers his transformation into another type of monster, known as the Deep One. Becka attacks the monster, only to be knocked away with relative ease, and Lindsey tries to jump to the aid of her friend, but is trapped.

The Deep One (known affectionately by the fans as Big Purple, or BP for short) proceeds to talk to Becka as she begs him not to hurt Lindey, asking whether she could trust her friend at all after all that she had done, even offering to kill her for Becka. While this happens, a jeep comes out of nowhere and crashes into him, knocking him out effectively. A man leaps out, introducing himself as Detective Sawyer, and states that Becka's mother is here too. Becka and Lindsey are told to get into the car, when Charon is seen with glowing eyes, yelling at Becka from behind the car doors after telling the two girls to stay out of the car. Detective Sawyer is then approached by two more people, who observe the scene, and tells them to leave. When they don't, however, he gets suspicious and aims his gun at them. Meanwhile, inside the car, Charon is shown once again transforming into the Shadowchild, and breaks the handcuffs that hold her captive. Outside, the two people transform into Deep Ones. Detective Sawyer tries to fire at them, only to fail and gets badly injured. From within the car, Charon leaps out, fully transformed, and proceeds to take on the two monsters. They express surprise that there are two Shadowgirls [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=83 |title=Lioness |accessdate = 2007-11-19 |publisher=Shadowgirls] and is joined by Big Purple who has recovered from the crash.

Issue 04

Issue 04 begins with the now grown-up Jackson Snow, who has married his girlfriend Chrissy. He is seen weightlifting, while simultaneously talking on the phone to Chrissy's grandfather, Phil, on the headset. After some words of conversation, which ends with Jackson insulting Phil, Chrissy appears in nothing but a bathrobe, and says that she cannot sleep, and apologizes. She then proceeds to throw herself at her husband, and says that she cannot believe that Charon killed her friends. Jackson asks why did Chrissy have to pick a bar fight, and Chrissy shows her husband a picture that she has found. This causes Chrissy to fly into a rage, demanding to know why did Jackson hide this picture, to which the man snaps that he was trying to avoid this [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=65 |title=Out Loud |accessdate = 2007-12-13 |publisher=Shadowgirls] . He angrily states that Charon has nothing while Chrissy has everything, to which the near-tearful woman replies she wants Jackson to stop loving her (Charon). Jackson questions the authenticity of Chrissy's story, and Chrissy retaliates angrily. The conversation ends with Jackson going to bed, and the picture lying on the floor in a heap with Jackson's vest. The picture is shown to have Jackson and Charon together as children, happily playing.

The scene once again goes back to the cornfields, where there is a humourous moment of the Deep Ones debating on how many Shadowchild there should be. Big Purple brings them back to their original mission [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=62 |title=A Touch of Truth |accessdate = 2007-12-18 |publisher=Shadowgirls] , while Becka stops her mother from actually attacking. Her voice and touch causes Charon to revert to a somewhat more human state. They are confronted by the Deep One again, and Charon tells Becka to run, while simulatenously attacking him. Just as Charon is beaten by all three monsters, Becka takes a handgun and fires it at them, which is seen glowing in black. This does a little bit, if not any, damage to the monsters. This causes Big Purple to raise the unconscious Lindsey over his head, threatening to break her into two pieces if Becka does not put that gun down [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=47 |title=Triumphant Returns |accessdate = 2008-01-14 |publisher=Shadowgirls] . Becka makes him swear by the "Old Ones" that Lindsey will not come to any harm, to which the monster agrees to. Becka returns to her human form, and asks to say goodbye to Lindsey for one last time. Big Purple grants the request, and taking this opportunity Becka has Lindsey promise that she would take care of the cop no matter what. Becka is then taken away.

Back in Innsmouth, a medical examiner is examining the body of a fisherman from Issue 01 with another man, known as D.A. Bear. He notes that these wounds were lacerations that were similar to those that killed Chrissy's two sidekicks, and puts down the man's time of death. He proceeds to state that if Bear wanted to tie these murders to Charon McKay, he would have to have Charon on the same boat as the two men. He continues to point out the irregularities of the case - the wounds were made with claws, and causes him to believe that these are predator attacks. Bear seems admant that Charon committed these murders as well - only to be refuted that she was drunk and covered in fish blood [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=44 |title=Shadowgirls CSI Part Two |accessdate = 2008-11-17|publisher=Shadowgirls] when she was found on scene. He concludes that the entire accusation is full of doubts, and then the two part.

Meanwhile, Jackson Snow is shown on the road and talking to one of his fellow lawyers, when he hears on the radio that both Charon and Becka are wanted for the attack of Detective Sawyer. This causes Jackson to halt to a stop in his car, followed by a phonecall to the judge presiding over the trial that he will be representing the two in court. He arrives at the hospital, where Lindsey is trying to persuade the nurse to let her stay, saying that she is the child bride of Sawyer that he bought on the Internet [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=40 |title=For the Defense |accessdate = 2008-01-23 |publisher=Shadowgirls] . Jackson steps in, introducing himself as their attorney for their supposed marriage. The nurse leaves in exsparation, while Lindsey thanks Jackson for helping her. He is surprised that Lindsey knows him. At first, Lindsey mistakes Jackson for believing Charon and Becka are responsible for the attack and the murders, but he rights her. Lindsey proceeds to tell him, in tears, that Becka made her leave, and that monsters took her.

On the coast of Innsmouth, in a nearby lighthouse, Charon and Becka are held captive, with Charon thrown in. Another deep one then attempts to throw Becka in, but is stopped by Big Purple, who firmly states that she goes in on her feet [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=38 |title=Gestures |accessdate = 2008-01-25 |publisher=Shadowgirls] . Fearfully, Becka asks what is going to happen to her, only to receive the response from Big Purple that the Master will attend to them at his leisure. He then tells Becka to tend to her mother, saying that she will need courage to face what will come next. Becka corrects him, saying that her mother is the one who is brave, and Big Purple is about to leave, calling her Shadowchild. Becka then gives him her full name [cite web |url=http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/?p=37 |title=I Have A Name |accessdate = 2008-01-28 |publisher=Shadowgirls] , which surprises the Deep One greatly. He muses the meanings behind a name, and states he is overwhelmed by the fact that she gave him her true name. He further explains the meaning of the mark on the palm of Becka's hand, and at the end of the conversation, it is clear that he has great respect for Becka.

The scene then switches to Chrissy, who is seen talking on the phone with her father. She learns that Jackson has taken over defending the McKays, and in fury and sadness she throws the phone at a mirror and shatters it. Her daughter, Misty comes out and sees her mother kneeling on the floor, proceeding to ask what is she doing. When Chrissy tells her to go back to her room, Misty rebutts her, saying that even though Jackson is her father, he wasn't worth kneeling on the floor. She continues to say that all they needed was each other. In the final panel, the mark on Misty's own hand glows, and a single eye glowing yellow is seen.

External links

* [http://www.shadowgirlscomic.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.comicrelated.com/review/shadowgirls1.html Comic Related's review]
* [http://www.comicrelated.com/press/080716002.html Comic Related's Shadowgirls Anniversary report]
* [http://www.brokenfrontier.com/lowdown/details.php?id=1045 Broken Frontier review 1]
* [http://www.brokenfrontier.com/lowdown/details.php?id=1153 Broken Frontier review 2]
* [http://www.brokenfrontier.com/headlines/details.php?id=3532 Broken Frontier Shadowgirls Anniversary report]
* [http://animosityonline.com/2008/02/webcomic-wednesday-shadowgirls.html ANImosity review]
* [http://www.heroestv.com/blog/strongbadwi/2008/04/10/shadowgirls-3/ The Pull Box's review]
* [http://www.scottstoryillustrator.com/johnnysaturn/?p=526 Johnny Saturn Review]

References

ee also

*List of webcomics
*List of webcomics in print